Conversações diárias: Quer ganhar um carro?

Seis estudantes de diferentes partes do mundo se encontram. O que eles têm em comum? São todos intercambistas estudando em uma universidade americana durante um semestre. Ao longo do semestre, eles aprendem mais inglês, conhecem sobre a cultura americana e ficam sabendo mais sobre suas áreas de estudo. Esta série Conversações Diárias* é sobre seis estudantes e suas experiências durante um semestre em uma universidade nos EUA. Essas conversas são para alunos de inglês de nível intermediário ou superior.

A série Conversações Diárias é uma ótima maneira de melhorar seu inglês. Os leitores de nível mais avançado podem aprender ainda mais rápido revendo este post original na íntegra em inglês.

A student (Lee) takes another student (Jana) to see an electric car. They talk about electric cars and their positive effects on the environment.

Jana: Lee, I have a class soon on the other side of campus. Why did you drag me all the way over here to the parking lot of one of the environmental science buildings?

Lee: It won’t take long, and you’re gonna love it. Close your eyes. Ready? Check it out!

Jana: Is that one of the newest models of electric cars? For real?

Lee: Yup. Isn’t it great? The best electric car on the market! Energy efficiency and beautiful engineering in one car. I thought you’d appreciate that.

Jana: I totally do. I’d love to own this car. But why does your class have it here?

Lee: Well, energy efficiency is one of the easiest ways to combat climate change, right? But that alone doesn’t seem to get people’s attention. Even though energy efficiency reduces energy costs, people still need a little nudge to start making changes.

Jana: I think the car will get people’s attention.

Lee: Exactly. Our entire department is holding an event to get people more interested in ways to be more energy efficient. And an alum donated the car as a raffle prize!

Jana: When is that event? I’m definitely going to come and buy a raffle ticket!

Agora vamos rever o vocabulário.

To drag someone somewhere [arrastar alguém para algum lugar] means to make someone go somewhere he/she does not want to go.

Gonna [no inglês falado e escrito informalmente, é a junção das palavras going + to] is a shortened form of going to. It is used in informal spoken English.

For real [é verdade; é sério] is an informal phrase used in spoken English. It is used to emphasize that something is actually true and accurate.

An electric car [carro elétrico] is a car that uses an electric motor. It uses electrical energy stored in rechargeable batteries or another storage device.

Energy efficiency [eficiência energética] is using less energy to provide the same service. For example, light bulbs that are energy-efficient use less energy but still provide the same amount of light as other light bulbs.

Climate change [mudanças climáticas] means changes in the Earth’s weather, especially due to the increase in temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere that is caused in part by the increase in carbon dioxide.

A nudge [cutucada; empurrãozinho] is a small push or encouragement to do something.

Alum [ex-aluno/a] is a shortened version of alumnus or alumna. An alumnus is a man who was a student at a particular school, college or university and has graduated from that school. An alumna is a woman who was a student at a particular school, college or university and has graduated from that school.

A raffle [rifa] is a contest in which people buy numbered tickets in exchange for a chance to win a prize. Raffles are usually organized to make money for a good purpose.

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